


Be the hero, Severus Snape

by Embyr_Fyrcursed



Category: Doctor Who, Harry Potter - Fandom
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-29
Updated: 2020-11-29
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:02:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 823
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27772714
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Embyr_Fyrcursed/pseuds/Embyr_Fyrcursed
Summary: Martha Jones sets young Severus on the right path.
Relationships: None
Kudos: 9
Collections: A Slytherin Walks Into A Pub





	Be the hero, Severus Snape

In a dark pub in the darkest corner of Muggle London, Severus Snape celebrated his 20th birthday alone with his regrets. He sat in a dimly lit corner, brooding over his pint and scowling at anyone who dared approach. 

His thoughts spiraled inwards as he considered the enormous mistake he had made by joining the Death Eaters. The tattoo on his forearm pulsed sickly as it always did, sending an all-too-familiar wave of nausea through him. Used to it after the past few years, he ignored the sensation and drank deeply. 

How did he get to this point? He was bright, he should have seen that joining Voldemort was a trap. He should have been a famous potions master by now, far away from here. But he’d been foolish. He’d let his hurt and pride lead him straight into folly, and irreparably away from his Lily. Now she was married to another, and would soon bear his child. He had done terrible, unforgivable things.

Movement at the door drew his attention, and he watched a pretty young woman walk in. Her movements were purposeful as she strode to the bar. Snape half-watched her, alert to possible danger at every moment, yet still intent on his misery. She paid for her beer and turned, scanning the nearly empty room. Her eyes found him in his dark corner.

Snape gripped his wand under the table as she bee-lined towards him. Placing her glass on the table, she pulled out the chair across from him and sat. 

“I’m Martha Jones. You’re Severus Snape.”

Only the fact that she very clearly placed her hands on the table stopped him from hexing her on the spot.

“Relax mate, I’m not here to hurt you. A friend of mine asked me to stop in and talk to you. Seems you have a choice to make. You’re going to be a hero.”

Snape couldn’t stop the snort that slipped out. Him, a hero? Not likely.

The woman gave a rueful grin and continued. “You don’t know it yet, but you have a very important job ahead of you. Like save-the-world important. But it’s going to be difficult, and thankless.”

“What are you talking about?” He wasn’t quite sure why he wasn’t hexing her sideways and apparating out of there. There was just something about her that stayed his hand, something indefinable.

“Look, I know you’re in a world of trouble right now, and you’ve gotten yourself into a bad place, in bad company,” Martha said. “But my friend tells me that without you being right where you are, we have no chance. Your world will destroy my world, and everyone will lose.”

“I can’t do this, he’s not what I thought. And I’ve lost her forever,” Severus found the truth slipping from his mouth without permission from his brain. He worried briefly that she had cast a truth spell on him, but she showed no sign of magic. He was somehow certain that she was a muggle, but there was also more there, he just wasn’t quite sure what.

“Mate, saving the world isn’t easy,” and oddly enough, he thought she knew firsthand. “But it has to be done. Someone has to do the hard work. Someone has to be on the ground, making the sacrifice, walking the earth. This time it’s you.”

He shook his head, suddenly angered by her certainty. “ Don’t be ridiculous, do I look like a hero to you?”

She looks him over critically, seeing more than he liked. “Yeah, I rather think you do.”

Stunned, he could only stare at her, mouth agape.

“Go back to your school, talk to your headmaster...” She downed half her drink in one go and stood. “You’ll know what to do.” A sad expression flitted across her face before she grinned ruefully at him. “Good luck, Severus Snape. Save the world for us all.” With that, she turned and walked away. He stared at her for a few moments, stunned. As she slipped through the door, he abruptly stood and hurried after her. 

He reached the door only moments after her, but she was already out of sight. He raced to the corner, sure she couldn’t be far away. The street was empty, only a strange, faint vwoorp noise lingering in the air. 

“Where…?” She was gone. He wasn’t sure what to make of it all, but something told him that he should listen to her. Strange that he should believe her when he was usually so paranoid and untrusting.

“Dumbledore will probably have me sent straight to Azkaban,” he muttered. Still, a ray of hope settled in his heart. Maybe, just maybe he could do something good to make up for his mistakes. Maybe he could be a hero; like that strange Martha Jones said. Nodding decisively, he glanced around for onlookers, then with a crack, apparated to the school that had been his home for so long.

**Author's Note:**

> Created for the Draco's Den #SlytherinInAPub challenge.


End file.
